Little Treasure
by pantsofdoom
Summary: Eric stumbles upon a 5yr old Sookie. He knows she is far from ordinary. He takes her under his wing recognizing her as a powerful asset to be protected at all costs. A/U – New rules, different abilities, different history, TrueBlood storyline...**Sorry I disappeared off the face of the planet, currently on hiatus.**
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Eric stumbles upon a 5yr old Sookie. He know's she is far from ordinary. He takes her under his wing recognising her as a powerful asset to be protected at all costs. Will Sookie live to see her 20th birthday? How will she feel about her protector/owner? A/U – New rules, different abilities, different history, similar storyline to True Blood, but switching stuff with SVM sometimes. Spoilers etc.

**Author's Note:**Obviously I'm changing a lot of shit around in this story, If you feel there is an inaccuracy feel free to PM me. However! If a detail is wrong, It is most probably wrong because I intentionally screwed with it to fit either my story, or just because I wanted to. (Insert goofy, smug grin.) This is my first FF, I hope it goes well. Please read and review, if you have a problem with the story or criticism to give PM me, if you just plain don't like it then _don't read it._

Most will be from EPOV. (My) Sookie's head is too screwed up for text. Obviously I don't own The characters, credit due to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. If you feel I've stolen an aspect of your story, please message me. I've read so damn much it's all blurred together, I would never intentionally steal someone else's work.

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><p><strong>EPOV<strong>

I watch the world blur past outside the windows of my Corvette, paying the bare minimum attention to the road. My face pulls up in a smirk as I take this small moment of peace, speeding along a forgotten road from the ass-hole of nowhere back towards Shreveport. As much as I cared for the simplicity of the old world, there really is something to be said for technology. I squeeze the accelerator just a little harder, and grin at the animal sounds my delicious car makes.

I'll be back at Fangtasia soon enough, but I have an urge to antagonise my dear Child who was currently pinned with the duty of entertaining the vermin. I pull out my phone and call her mobile.

"_Master. Please tell me you're almost back from that backwater bar, I swear if I have to sit here any longer there may be no breathers left for me to keep entertained."_

I keep my amusement reigned in, "Pamela, it was very important for me to see the shifter in person. Who better to keep the bar running smoothly in my absence?".

"_Important! Important! My cold hairless butt-hole, important! You owe me shoes for this Eric, a breather bled on me when I kicked him! Not even remotely attractive either! I wouldn't have drank it's blood even if it were in an Angelina Jolie shaped body and I had been starved for a year! It smells like the backside of an elephant Eric!..."_

I let her rant as I silently chuckled, watching the forest slide by. "Alright, alright. I'll be back to the bar soon enough. I will transfer some money to your card when I return. I swear it."After much huffing and sighing, she was appeased. I ended the call and returned to watching the trees blurring past the windows.

She was right though, I had concocted the errand as an excuse to get away for the night. It did have some merit though, I did have to remind the shifter he was in my territory and thus owed me a small monthly percentage of his takings to ensure his continued safety in my area. _Hardly a job for the Sheriff though_, I thought to myself, grinning.

I was a simple being, really. I enjoyed simple things. Comfort, Food, Sex. Money ensured I had easy access to all of those, so it was important to ensure my steady cash flow would continue to grow. I had no wish for great power, just enough to keep needs met and enough to cause would-be enemies to tread lightly. No one respects the Vampires at the bottom of the metaphorical food-chain. So I keep my position well, I do my duty properly, I pay my respects to those above me and I treat those below accordingly. _I have enough on my plate to keep me from being bored with my existence, but not so much that I never get to enjoy the small things,_ I chuckle to myself as I luxuriate the feel of the leather bucket seats firmly, but gently cupping my superior rear end.

I am brought out of my musings by a small white figure on the side of the road. There is something off about this, it feels wrong. I start to slow down as the feeling of wrongness increases rapidly, its an intense feeling that makes the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The figure is a small girl, with blonde wavy hair and...no shoes? I feel a slight tugging sensation in my chest as my feeling of unease increases. Fully alert and extremely cautious, I have slowed the car to a walking pace as I approach. You don't get over 1000 candles in your birthday breather by ignoring odd occurrences. My brows tug down into a slight frown as I watch the small girl, standing in the dirt on the side of the road. _It's damn near 1am, what in the world is a human child doing on the side of the road 10 miles past the middle of nowhere? _The tugging in my chest increases, when I am only a few yards from the child her tiny arm flies up to grasp an imaginary something beside her. As her fist visibly tightens, I can see her white knuckles and the tension in her arm, a shiver runs down my already cold spine. Time is passing impossibly slow, and yet everything seems to be happening so fast. A fraction of a second after her grip is secured on the invisible thing, she turns slowly, her blonde curls brushing her shoulder as her bright blue eyes lock onto mine. Her gaze penetrates me, she is looking straight through me, I am bare before her stare as I feel the pull inside me increase again.

Time seems to have caught up and overtaken me as I pull off to the side of the road just past the strange girl. I take a second to centre myself, aware that something supernatural is clearly going on. I know walking into this situation with no information is a risk, but hell, its just a child! If the encounter starts to go pear shaped I'll fly away to regroup and come back with an Ice Cream...or an army. _Get a hold of yourself! Stay alert, Its a calculated risk. She's odd, sure, but she's just a teacup human. _Okay. I steal a glance at the rear-view mirror to find the tiny girl's penetrating stare. Still aware of the tension in my chest, I calmly exit the car and turn to face the little blonde.

I start to approach as non-threateningly as possible, slowly keeping focused on the girl and listening for an ambush of any kind. Looking her over she doesn't seem to be hurt in any way, just dirty. Her white dress is more brown than white, her blonde curls are slightly ratty with little leaves and twigs lodged in it. It doesn't appear to be ground in though, the dirt is quite fresh, _It looks like she's been rolling around on the ground, maybe someone tossed her out of a car?_ My examination continues as my eyes reach her feet, which are exceptionally dirty and seem to have a few scratches and scars. Odd. Her demeanour is completely aloof and serene. There is a stillness to the world right now, in this little corner of Louisiana. One hand still raised in a tiny little fist is now slightly in front of her angled towards me, while her other hand seems to be stroking imaginary things. Her gesture reminds me of someone lightly dipping their fingers into a stream, swirling slightly but not meeting much resistance. I come to a stop a short distance in front of the girl, and slowly crouch down to her level with a charming smile plastered on my face to appear as friendly and open as possible, _Don't spook her!_ As soon as I am eye level with her the feeling in my chest disappears and she smiles widely. Her eyes seem to light up as her posture changes, she seems to have relaxed completely. _A misplaced trust little one_, I think to myself.

We stare at each other in silence for a seemingly long time. I can't seem to settle on what to ask this tiny human first. So many questions trying to get out at the same time, who are you? What's your name? What are you doing out here? "Where are your shoes?"

A light giggle fills the air as she ducks her head and looks at me through her long lashes, she twirls her skirt back and forth in a picture of childish innocence. She smiles coyly before she whispers, "I threw them away."

"Why would you throw away your shoes?" Seemed like a fairly natural response.

"I don't like them. You can't _feel_ the ground through the soles." she emphasised by stretching her toes and digging them into the loose dirt.

I smirk and let out a small chuckle, "What are you doing out here?"

She stops her twirling as her eyes flick directly to mine, pinning me under her gaze, "Looking for you." she states calmly with a small smile.

Unable to detect any threat in her voice or from the surroundings, I relax slightly, but her comment has obviously put me on edge. "And why are you looking for me, little one?"

"I know you. I've seen you. You'll keep me safe. You'll help me and I'll help you." she whispers shyly, tilting her head down to watch me out of the corner of her eyes, blonde curls falling across her face and her fringe almost in her eyes.

I quirk my eyebrow at her, "What makes you think I'll keep you safe, little one? A strange man on the side of the road at night? Didn't your mother tell you of monsters lurking in the night? What makes you so sure I'm not one of them?"

She smiles knowingly, "I know you're a monster, I know you're a Vampire. But you don't scare me Mr! I know what's inside you. I see through you...and I know you'll keep me safe. I am useful." She keeps her eyes locked with mine as she walks the rest of the distance towards me, I am frozen as she reaches her hands towards me and lays them gently on my chest. Her eyes slide closed as I watch, completely rapt as I feel the warmth of her hands through my shirt.

"I can feel you." She says in a sing-song voice. At the same instant I feel a pressure deep in my chest, where I felt the tugging and pulling, only this time it feels like two tiny hands gently holding my metaphorical heart. That spot deep in your chest, where all the strong emotions seem to build, anger, lust, love, hurt. Right there, she was holding me in her hands. I blink down at her in confusion, her tiny brow drawn down in concentration. _How is this possible? What the hell is she?_ I feel the pressure withdraw, a second later she sighs and removes her hands, they fall to her side and she sways a little. I reach out to steady her. She looks up at me and smiles gently. Her eyes are glazed over and she yawns quietly. Whatever she did has obviously taken a lot out of her. "Will you please take me home with you now, Norseman?"

I stare at her in shock and let out a small laugh, "Of course my little treasure."

I reach out and take the strange little girl into my arms, lifting her with ease before turning to walk to the car. I carefully deposit her into the passenger seat and make sure her belt is on, until I know exactly what my new little pet is and the extent of her abilities, I will treat her as if she were made of blown glass.

"Thank you, Norseman." She whispers gently once I am settled in my seat. Hiding a yawn behind her small hand, she snuggles back into the seat and promptly drifts off to sleep.

Shaking my head slightly, I smile at her sleeping form. _She was right. I will keep her safe, for now at least. _My phone buzzes and I pull it out, realising that I am obviously much later now than I told Pam. I laugh quietly to myself, _Wait until I show her my little treasure I found. _I put my foot down and speed off down the road, buzzing with excitement and still not entirely sure what just transpired. _I don't even know her name._

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><p><strong>AN:<strong>Welp, there it is, my first ever chapter. Thoughts? Are you excited? Want to see where I'm going with this? Read + Review! More details obviously coming in the next chapter. Probably a fairly short chapter compared to what I have laid out for the next one, but I'm an attention whore so I wanna get this up to see if I get any feedback before I keep going. Thanks, Me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for your reviews! Went to bed hoping that a few people might read and as it stands now I've had around 350 hits, 20 reviews, 30 people put it on alert and 16 people have added it to favourites. My mind is absolutely blown! So this chapter I'll reveal a few more details and clarify some things, as well as introduce little Sookie to Pam. I'll try to do a new chapter every couple of days or so, but my life is fairly insane so updates may vary in frequency. It all depends on how much time I get to myself, and if my bottle of Malibu still contains creative juice or not. Again, thank you so much for your reviews, you're all so kind!

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><p><strong>EPOV<strong>

I quietly pulled into the rear parking lot at Fangtasia, sliding the car into my reserved car park. Being boss does have its perks. Glancing over at my sleeping companion, I smile to myself as I picture Pamela's reaction to our new little addition. I cut the engine and carefully listen for any stray humans or non-humans in the area, fully aware that with my current lack of information I am more vulnerable than I am comfortable with.

Satisfied that we are alone in the employee parking lot, I exit the car and move around to remove my passenger. I open the car door quietly and look over my sleepy little friend, she seems completely relaxed and in a fairly deep sleep. Deciding it best to let her sleep a little longer, I gently scoop her up in my arms, holding her weight with ease. I make a mental note that she is a little light for a human her size and could probably use a good meal, I will have to arrange for some meals to be delivered for her. I smile to myself, _I knew investing in those two restaurants would be a good idea. _I quickly lock the car and head to the back entrance, careful not to disturb my new found treasure from her slumber.

My child no doubt sensing my approach, flung open the door half a second before I reached it. Pam opened her mouth to speak then froze, her gaze dropping to the sleeping human in my arms. One hand on her hip and one hand raised pointing to me, visibly bristling and seething with disgust, "What fresh hell is this Master? Please don't tell me you plan on bringing that filthy _child_ in here. The bar will smell like peanut butter and faeces! Since when do you snack on _anything _without a decent rack anyway? I never pinned you for a cradle snatcher."

"Enough! Pam, let me through. I'll fill you in on the details in my office, there is more than meets the eye with this one. She is _NOT_ to be harmed Pam. Understood?" I quietly but firmly state, leaving no room for argument.

With a huff and a glare she whirled around to lead the short distance to my office. My office was conveniently located up a small flight of stairs, with one wall entirely composed of one-way glass. It made keeping an eye on the bar while doing real work much easier, and allowed for interesting observations of the vampires in my employ. You would assume that a Vampire -in a known Vampire bar, run by the Sheriff of area 5- would refrain from anything incriminating or downright stupid. Well, you know what they say about assumptions. I left the decorating to Pam since I really didn't give a damn how my office looked, so long as I had a desk, a comfortable chair and a couch to...enjoy my meals. She had gone with a minimal approach, nothing personal. A large dark wooden desk, a black leather lounge, a grey shaggy rug and a large battle-axe mounted on the wall behind my desk. The room served it's purpose well enough, furnished enough to show my wealth but still fairly stark, to display my lack of attachment to the place.

I softly deposit my little treasure on the couch, gently brushing her curls back from her face and making sure she is comfortable before I turn to my irate Vampire Child. "Oh calm down Pam, before you develop wrinkles from frowning so much. Sit down and keep it quiet, If you wake her I swear I'll torch your wardrobe." That seemed to get the message across.

"So tell me Master, why _have_ you brought this thing home like a stray animal? You say she's special. How so?"

_I have no idea. _I think for a second before replying."I found her on the side of the road as she is now. I felt drawn to her. I approached her...she did _something_ to me, I could feel it. I've never experienced anything like it, It didn't hurt obviously, or she wouldn't still live. She will be an asset, Pam. One to be closely guarded. As to what she is, or the extent of her...abilities, we'll have to wait until she wakes."

Pamela's expression now openly speculative, my words have obviously relaxed her. She is a good Child, I know she trusts my cunning just as I trust her ruthlessness. The only problem now is to stop her being an utter bitch to our new friend, I don't want to scare the little one off so soon. I will hold the child by force if I have to, but I suspect that would not be easily done. Looking at her now, sleeping in my office, she exudes an aura of power. The space near her is practically electric. It's clear she is not an ordinary human, though I am unsure exactly what she is. Possibly a cross-breed of some description, but until she wakes I am clueless. Once I can question her all will be revealed. _I hope_. I can be patient when I need to be, even if I don't necessarily enjoy it.

I order Pam to organise some clothes and toiletries for my little human, as well as some decent meals to be delivered. I express to her the importance of a healthy meal for the little one, she is underweight and obviously in need of some food with substance. Pam carries out her orders with her usual enthusiasm -grudging obedience with a bucket load of sarcasm dumped on top- while I check my emails keep up with my Sheriff duties and personal business. The bar is closed for the night, thankfully I am saved from that torture and free to wallow in my wonderful paperwork. While I am reading through a monthly report of the takings and maintenance costs of a small apartment complex I own, I notice my enchanting little friend starting to stir. I put down the report and move to the couch, "Hello again little one, how are you feeling?"

"Good thank you, big one."

My face pulls up in a grin at her words, _She's cute, bold and apparently cheeky. I like her. _"I had Pam fetch some food for you, if you're hungry? Some kind of chicken dish with vegetables I believe, and a bottle of water."

Her eyes light up and she nods vigorously, "Yes please! Sounds delicious! Thank you very much!" I pass her the container and cutlery. She sits up cross legged and starts to dig in, using her lap as a table while making frequent happy sounding noises as she enjoys her meal.

"So little one, it occurs to me that we skipped our introductions. I am Eric Northman, pleased to meet you." I give a flourish of my hand and a half bow from my squatting position next to the couch, "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name, my pretty little friend?"

She laughs at my playfulness and replies in a mocking formal tone, "I am pleased to meet you Mr. Northman. I am Sookie Stackhouse." as she attempts a curtsy around the dinner on her lap.

I reply with a smile, and take a seat next to her on the couch. It feels almost comical, me being so large and her tiny form next to mine on the couch. She polishes off the rest of her dinner quite quickly and thanks me profusely, before setting her plate on the floor next to the couch. She sits back and takes in her surroundings, her manner completely aloof – which, considering her situation is quite odd- as she examines the room. I get the feeling she is seeing more than just the items, reading deeper than the surface in a surprising show of intelligence for a child. She gets up from her place next to me and walks to the glass wall, pressing her small hands against it and looking down on the now empty club. Her eyes seem glazed as she scans the room, not really focusing on anything. I calmly watch her watch the deserted bar until she breaks the silence.

"You hate this place. They're all so shallow, so simple. They're all the same. They look the same, sound the same...taste the same. I don't like them either. Their thoughts are rude and selfish." Her blank face pulls into a frown, her little brow wrinkling as she turns slightly towards me, "There was one here, one like you, one you shouldn't trust. He is not loyal to you, he's watching you. He'll try and bring you down."

She removes her hands from the glass and walks back to take her place on the couch, curls swaying as she walks, her dirty bare feet leaving a few marks on the carpet. I shift to look down at her, careful to keep my posture relaxed and calm. "And who is he, little Sookie? Do you know his name?"

"I don't, I'm sorry Mr Northman." she looks up at me with a wicked grin, eyes flashing, "But I know him. I know his feel, I can find him if he's near. I can find where he's been."

I let out a loud short laugh, "Well that certainly is good news. Now little one, how do you know all this?"

Her head falls slightly, she looks down at her hands, then back to me out of the corner of her eye, "I'm not really sure...I've always been able to feel people, I'm not sure how to explain it. Well, most of the time I can hear what people are thinking," she pauses, glances at me for a second before returning her gaze to her lap. "I can't hear you though, not in my head. I am fairly sure I can't hear any Vampires. I can feel something there though, its like, a glass bowl. I know its there, and I can run my hands along it, but it looks empty to me." She shifts a little in her seat, getting comfortable, then she stretches out her hands and flexes them a little, "I can feel you though, what makes you yourself. What's inside. I can feel everyone, where they've been. Where they are. It fades over time, but some people are strong. Its like a ribbon, I can feel the texture, I can see the colour if I try, I can follow it. It's hard to explain. Normal people can't see them, can't feel them." she looks up me smiling brightly, eyes full of confidence, "I am not normal."

I smirk at her, _well that much is clear, incredibly useful though. So many possibilities. _"So that's how you found me, little Sookie?" She nods and I continue, "You say you can hear people's thoughts?" another nod, "So you can hear everyone but Vampires?"

"Mhm! Normal people are easy, too easy. I can't keep them out. Everything screaming in my head. It's so loud. It's like a television turned up just a little too loud. You might want to watch the show but it kind of hurts a little. When there's more people its like putting more TV's in the room on different channels, just as loud. Its so loud and confusing." she sighs, "Then some people, Were-people and Shapeshifters, they're like looking into a cloudy pond, you can see what's there but you have to focus or its all just blurry."

"I see, and how do you know of Were's and Shifter's exactly?"

"I've met a couple. They feel different than normal people and sound different, so I listened. I heard what they're called in a Shifter's head. I used to call them animal-people before I knew" she giggles, "My family used to take me to dinner at a place one owns, and some were-people of some kind live near the town."

I nod as I take in the information she is freely giving me, realizing that dawn is approaching quickly. "Would you like us to go home, little Sookie? Get cleaned up and have a good sleep? I'm afraid our talk is going to be cut short, sunrise is less than an hour away. Bed-time for me." I smirk, "You'll have to meet Pamela tomorrow night. She's already left for the night. She arranged for some clothes and such for you. How does that sound?"

She lets out a jaw-cracking yawn, seemingly reminded just how tired she is. "That sounds nice. Do you live with anyone?" She asks, looking up at me with open curiosity plastered on her face.

"Pamela stays with me sometimes, but I suspect she plans to spend tonight as far from my house tonight." I reply as I get up to collect a few things from my desk.

"Don't worry. She'll like me. I like her, she just doesn't know it yet." Sookie states, swinging her legs in front of her on the couch, grinning widely.

I gather up the bags Pam left, and take Sookie's little hand in mine to lead her back to the car. "Come, little Sookie, lets go home." I lock up the bar, and head to the car. I help Sookie into her seat, and put the bags in the back before climbing in. We speed towards the house sharing comfortable silence. She watches the streets slide by, the buildings and lights all blurring in the night as we speed past. As I pull into the gated to community my current house is located in, she looks over and quirks a tiny little brow at me. I chuckle, "It's safer. I blend right in, we have BBQ's at the neighbors on Sundays." She laughs at my sarcasm, and returns to her silent observation of the world outside my Corvette.

I pull into the garage and proceed to unload Sookie and her baggage, before showing her into the house. I show her the security doors and explain that while I am dead for the day she is under no circumstances to leave the house, and I will not give her the door codes for that exact reason. She seems to accept this without any arguments, but the slight frown on her face tells me she doesn't like being told what she can and can not do. Leading her around the house, I tell her to make herself at home. "There are a couple of cold meals in the refrigerator for you, along with some juice and such. I'm sure you can handle that yourself, right?" She looks at me and rolls her eyes. "Good. Now how about I run you a bath while you get settled in your room?"

As soon as I open the door to the guest room, her room, her jaw practically hits the floor. She walks up to the bed slowly and runs her hands on the thick quilt, staring wide eyed around the room. "It's so pretty. So bright. So warm! So pure." I raise an eyebrow at her, Its just a damn guest room. She looks over to me and registers my look before smiling widely, "There's no hate in this room. It's clean." I look around, trying to see what she sees, but all I see is the same light coffee colored walls, lush cream carpet and chocolate drapes over the windows.

I laugh, "You're the first one to stay in this room, my little Sookie."

"That explains that then." she grins before running and throwing herself on the bed, "Oh my goodness, its like a cloud!" she laughs loudly, rolling around. Stopping suddenly, she sits up and looks down, "Oh no! I'm making it dirty!"

"Lets get you in that bath then." I run her a bath in the adjoining bathroom, setting out the soaps and shampoo Pam acquired for her. She shuffles into the bathroom with an armful of clothes and a fluffy towel, as she looks around wide eyed again, taking in the bright, white tiles and crystal clear glass shower. I shut off the water and leave her to enjoy her bath. I sit outside the door, keeping an ear on her. It wouldn't do to let my wonderful new asset let drown in a moment of lax attention. About 15 minutes before sunrise she emerged, clean and refreshed.

She yawned and looked at me sleepily, when I suddenly become aware of her scent. _Why didn't I notice it before? _It's so sweet, so strong. I stare at her wide eyed, _what changed?_ She smells delicious! The urge to drain her is rising swiftly as I fight to keep myself under control. She notices the tension in my body and realization dawns on her, she gasps and steps back a little. "Oops."

_Oops? OOPS?_ "Sookie, what do you mean 'Oops'?" I bite out through clenched teeth. _I will NOT eat my little treasure. I will NOT._

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Bastard move, I know. But hey, I can't give everything away up front! Read and Review! Thanks again to those who have added my story to favourites and alerts and all that goodness! Don't worry! More details to come, and I put off the meet with Pam 'til next chapter.


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